IDENTIFICATION OF AN INTRAGENIC INTERFERON-STIMULATED RESPONSE ELEMENT SEQUENCE OF THE MOUSE CLASS-I MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX H-2K(B) GENE

A 5'-enhancer-lacking construct of the mouse MHC class I H-2K(b) gene is stimulated by interferons in a similar manner as a 5'-enhancer-cont aining H-2K(b) gene. This ability is markedly reduced upon introducing a second deletion removing the first and second intron of the H-2K(b) gene. Computational analysis of the deleted stretch reveals the prese nce of the interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) in the middle of the second intron. The identified sequence exhibits typical ISRE c haracteristics in gel retardation experiments. A fragment containing t he 5'-enhancer interferon responsive sequence competes effectively in the binding reactions. These results strongly suggest that the second intron of the H-2K(b) gene participates in interferon stimulation via the identified ISRE sequence.